The London Marathon has got to Change

Over the last 30 years, over 1 million people have completed the London Marathon to raise hundreds of millions of pounds for good causes. This year our very own Craig Allen (Change co-founder) and Harriet Brown (Senior Recruitment Consultant) will join over 30,000 runners to take on the Virgin Money London Marathon on the 23rd April 2017. They will be running in support of the international humanitarian organisation Action Against Hunger.

What is Action Against Hunger?
“For almost 40 years, across nearly 50 countries, Action Against Hunger have led the global fight against hunger. We save the lives of children and work with their communities before and after a disaster strikes. We enable people to provide for themselves, see their children grow up strong and build prosperous communities. We constantly search for more effective solutions, while sharing our knowledge and expertise with the world. We push for long-term change. We will never give up. Until the world is free from hunger”.

“With every stride Craig and Harriet take on 23rd April, they will be closer to the finish and bring the whole world closer to a world free from hunger. Craig and Harriet’s fundraising will enable our teams to reach more children with life-saving treatment enabling them to grow up strong and build prosperous communities. With famine declared in South Sudan and worsening situations in Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen, Craig and Harriet’s support is important now more than ever”, David Copsey, London Marathon Event Manager at Action Against Hunger.

A bit about Harriet

What inspired you to want to run the London Marathon?
I have been to watch friends and family run the marathon previously and have been inspired by the atmosphere and the enormity of the achievement. I have also started running more over the last few years so wanted to see if I would be able to complete a Marathon.

What is your biggest training tip?
CARBS, sleep and bath salts

What’s the furthest you’ve run so far in prep for the big day?
So far I’ve run 15 miles but I am planning to do a big 20 miler before the day.

What is your pre marathon meal going to be?
Porridge and lots of Peanut Butter

What will you be doing to celebrate after the marathon?
I will be EATING and drinking with my friends and family followed by a week away in the sunshine.

What time would you like to do the marathon in?
I don’t mind what time I finish in, I would like to get to the end in one piece! (Ideally under 4:40)

What inspired you to want to run the London Marathon?
Reading about the plight of the Syrian children and the amazing work the people at Action Against Hunger are doing to help them and thousands of other children who struggle to survive very much inspired me to do something to raise money for this valiant cause. Having run the marathon in my 30’s it seemed like a good idea to run again in my 40’s (and hopefully will be something I can do every decade – that’s the time it takes me to forget how tough it and the training is)!

What is your biggest training tip?
Don’t get carried away at the start and run too quickly even if a man with a fridge on his back overtakes you!! You need to have a plan and stick to it so you can last the distance (even if it seems slow on the day). And run in a straight line – well as straight as you can (to conserve energy)!

What’s the furthest you’ve run so far in prep for the big day?
I ran just over a half marathon after a workday last week. Took me about a week to recover!

What is your pre marathon meal going to be?
A pint of milk and 3 raw eggs!!

What will you be doing to celebrate after the marathon?
Having a pint of Guinness (it contains lots of minerals ;-)!

What time would you like to do the marathon in?
My ideal time would be under 4 hours but anything under 4.34 (my previous time) would be great!

The best thing about running the marathon is how proud it makes you to be a Londoner! The huge turnout of people and the effort they go to (along every street of the run), to help you on is amazing and so inspirational. Its showcases this City for the amazing place it is!